This finding aid is NCEAD compliant.
Aleph Number:
The Corporate Administration Series and Personnel Series are restricted.
In addition, patrons must sign the Acknowledgement of Legal Responsibility and Privacy Rights form before using this collection.
Also, all or portions of this collection may be housed off-site in Duke University's Library Service Center. Consequently, there may be a 24-hour delay in obtaining these materials.
Please contact Research Services staff before visiting the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library to use this collection.
The copyright interests in this collection have not been transferred to Duke University. For more information, consult the copyright section of the Regulations and Procedures of the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library.
[Identification of item], J. Walter Thompson Company. John F. Devine Papers, David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University.
The J. Walter Thompson Company. John F. Devine Papers were received
by the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library as a
transfer
Re-processed by Barbara Heck
Encoded by Barbara Heck
Last updated August 3, 2005
Originally processed by Richard Collier, Kate Crassons, Lisa Stark
Processing of this collection was supported in part by gifts from the J. Walter Thompson Company Fund and the John and Kelly Hartman Foundation.
Descriptive sources and standards used to create this inventory:
JWT Accessions 790807, 790809, 791026, 810422, 821110, 821202, 830203, 830516, 830803, and 831019 were merged into one collection, described in this finding aid.
This finding aid is NCEAD compliant.
The
After Devine moved to corporate administration in 1961, he dealt with larger corporate issues rather than specific client matters. Administrative files from this period in the collection include documentation of corporate policy, financial charts and projections, client research projects, correspondence and reports from various JWT offices in the United States and Canada addressing a range of issues, such as policies regarding employment of minorities, fiscal accounting, management techniques, and development of new advertising services. There is no material in this collection reflecting Devine's early career in the JWT Legal Department or life after retirement in 1974.
The collection is arranged into three series: the
The
The
The
Related materials may be found in other collections within the J.
Walter Thompson Archives, including the
These are searchable subject entries for this collection. Performing a search on these subjects in the Duke University Libraries online catalog will bring up other related research materials.
Includes advertisement proofs, correspondence, memoranda, rate cards, reports, tables, questionnaires, telexes, telegrams, charts, and verifaxes documenting Devine's activities as administrator of the Radio/Television Department. The rapid growth in the popularity of television in the 1950's and the adjustments made by J. Walter Thompson and other advertising agencies to the new medium are well-documented. Organized into six subseries: Administrative, Client, Programming, Research, Talent Negotiations, and Television Networks. Arranged alphabetically within each subseries.
Composed of advertisement proofs, correspondence, memoranda, rate cards, reports, and telexes, telegrams, charts, and verifaxes describing the initial organization and personnel assignments of the Radio/Television Department. In addition, the materials document the rapid development of specialized departments within the company to serve the expanding needs of clients. Arranged alphabetically.
Other chronological correspondence relating to Devine's
corporate administrative duties can be found in the Correspondence Subseries of
the
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Includes memoranda and statistical information relating to tobacco company program sponsorship, and development of concepts for targeting advertising for specific groups.
Includes correspondence, memoranda, reports, telexes, telegrams,
charts, and verifaxes documenting clients and associated programming. The bulk
of the materials relate to specific client-sponsored programs and/or
commercials, particularly developed for television for Eastman Kodak, Ford
Motor Company, Kraft Foods, and Lever Brothers Company, and for radio for
Although the contents of the files vary according to year and client, they include advertising and marketing strategies, analysis of the cost of production and profitability of the account to JWT, correspondence relating to legal issues regarding talent and/or union involvement in production, and detailed information about particular programs. Major television shows represented from 1956 to 1958 include:
Arranged chronologically by year, then alphabetically by client name therein, then alphabetically by the program name or topic within client name. Devine's original chronological file structure was retained to the extent possible. Within folders, the materials are in the same order as received with one exception: any documents that were bound on the left side of the original folder have been placed in front of materials found on the right side of the folder and separated from them with a blank sheet of paper.
The absence of any client files after
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Comprises correspondence, memoranda, questionnaires, reports,
telexes, telegrams, charts, and verifaxes illustrating proposed programming
concepts, the availability of actors and actresses, and the evolution of
television production facilities. Also includes materials relating to Chicago,
Hollywood, and New York operations; production of local programming in New
York; as well as the house production facility in New York City, known as TV
Workshop. Some materials have been relocated to
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Includes correspondence, memoranda, questionnaires, reports,
telexes, telegrams, charts, and verifaxes documenting the introduction of
formal consumer research into the advertising industry. Shows the development
of increasingly sophisticated research services to analyze discrete market
groups, project audience reaction to different types of commercial appeals, and
to adapt materials to persuade consumers to purchase certain products.
Additional materials related to research for specific clients are located in
the
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Comprises correspondence, memoranda, reports, telexes, telegrams, charts, and verifaxes evidencing the concerns of advertising agencies, advertisers, and labor representatives regarding the contractual control, practices, and payment of performers and radio and television support personnel. In addition to his employment with JWT, Devine served as an appointed advertising industry representative in negotiations with various unions, particularly the negotiation of the 1958 contract with Screen Actors Guild (SAG). The correspondence, memoranda, and reports in this subseries document the inception and growth of organized labor movements such as the American Federation of Musicians (AFM), American Federation of Radio and Television Artists (AFTRA), American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP), Screen Actors Guild (SAG), and Writers Guild of America (WGA) in representing performers and support personnel in radio and television programming. Organized labor significantly affected the business procedures and economic practices of the advertising industry. Arranged alphabetically by topic.
Includes correspondence, charts, rate cards, reports, and programming structures developed by the three networks--American Broadcasting Company (ABC), Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS), and National Broadcasting Company (NBC)--and the advertising industry. Demonstrates the growing influence of the networks in relation to the financial terms and organizational structure of television programs and commercials. Arranged alphabetically by topic.
Includes correspondence, memoranda, reports, charts, tables,
telexes, telegrams, and verifaxes created or used by Devine as part of his
corporate administrative duties regardless of where in JWT he was working at
the time. Although the series includes some materials from Devine's early years
as the Radio/Television Department administrator, the more significant files
arise from Devine's activities as a corporate executive in New York from 1960
to 1970. In contrast to the Radio/Television Department Series, the bulk of
this series relates to larger corporate issues rather than to specific client
matters. Devine was particularly adept as a financial manager on the corporate
level as indicated in his detailed personal charts and notes. Organized into
five subseries: Committees/Groups, Correspondence, Office Files, Offices, and
Review Board. Arranged alphabetically within each series. Some materials
relocated to
RESTRICTED: The Review Board Subseries is restricted.
Includes correspondence, memoranda, and reports from different
committees or groups within JWT in which Devine participated. The largest
amount of materials relate to the activities of the New York Operations
Committee from 1960 to 1963. Some materials relocated to
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[Includes an index. Some oversize material relocated to OS Box 1.]
Includes correspondence, memoranda, reports, charts, telegrams, and notes from Devine's tenure as the Radio/Television Department administrator. A portion of Devine's correspondence for the years 1954, 1958, and 1961 was found in chronological order with an index and retained in that order. Additional correspondence for those years and others may be found in the general correspondence and solicitation files. Arranged alphabetically.
Includes correspondence, memoranda, reports, charts, and notes
from Devine's activities as a corporate executive between 1961 and 1974. Devine
was particularly involved in efforts to reduce JWT cost expenditures and
increase corporate profit, and there are numerous files relating to employee
compensation, capital expenditures, financial analysis, and research requests
(including information about the proposed research project, its purpose,
methodology, costs, and expenses). Devine was one of the corporate officers
with authority to approve research cost expenditures, and he retained a
significant number of requests that he approved. Additional materials involving
client research can also be found in the
Arranged chronologically by year, then alphabetically by topic
therein. Devine's original file structure was retained to the extent possible
and the chronological grouping may include materials from more than one year.
The researcher should review all years to ascertain the existence of all
materials in the subseries. Some materials relocated to
Reprints of published articles that Strouse distributed to key management personnel and known as "buff papers" because of the beige paper on which they were printed.
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Comprises correspondence, memoranda, telegrams, reports, charts,
architectural drawings, and notes relating to the operations of JWT offices,
primarily in Canada, Chicago, and Hollywood. There is a significant amount of
correspondence, memoranda, and reports focusing on the Montreal office and the
difficulty of establishing and sustaining profitable accounts in Canada. In
addition, minority relations, especially the employment and retention of
minority employees in JWT offices, are documented in the Detroit and Hollywood
Offices Files, particularly statistics recording JWT's efforts to comply with
corporate and governmental regulation of minority employment and retention.
Additional materials involving minority relations, both in employment of
minorities by advertising agencies and participation of minorities in
television programs and commercials, may be found in the
Arranged alphabetically by location, then chronologically by
year therein, then alphabetically. Devine's original file structure was
retained to the extent possible and a chronological file may include materials
from more than one year. The researcher should review all years to ascertain
the existence of all materials in the subseries. Some materials moved to
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Contains meeting minutes, account summaries, correspondence, and Devine's personal notes pertaining to Review Board meetings. The minutes generally include a list of the Review Board members on the client account, the purpose of the meeting, marketing information, analysis of the advertising campaign, and recommendations and conclusions for the client. To maintain quality control, the Review Board assessed individual campaigns at specified intervals with client representatives to ascertain the effectiveness of the campaign and negotiate any changes to the client's advertising program. Account representatives, senior creative staff, and selected management members served on a Review Board for an individual client. The bulk of the Review Board materials found in this collection are not contained in J. Walter Thompson Co. Archives: Review Board Records, 1947 and 1953-1976. Arranged alphabetically by client.
RESTRICTED: Photocopying from the Review Board Records is prohibited. For further information, consult a reference archivist.
Comprises correspondence, memoranda, charts, tables, and notes relating to applicants and current, and former JWT employees. Most materials relate to routine business operations such as vacation schedules, job position changes, and salary increase requests, but some describe individual job performance, employment severance, and employee loans. Arranged chronologically.
RESTRICTED: This series are closed to non-JWT employees for 75 years after 1971, the latest established date in the series. Current JWT employees may view these materials.